Altos

Cornélie van Zanten is a miracle. So began George S. de Bossan - pseudonym for S.A.M. Bottenheim - his narrative about the on 2 August 1855 in Dordrecht born contralto Cornélie (Cornelia) van Zanten. The singer - now mainly known as singing pedagogue - studied singing on the Conservatory of Cologne, but above all with the famous Prof. Francesco Lamperti in Milan. The contralto Pauline de Haan-Manifarges received her first music lesson on the music school of the 'Company to promote the Art of Music'. In the beginning she studied piano with Van der Sandt and further - when her real talent and interest appeared - singing with L.F. Brandts Buijs. She continued her singing study with Paul Hasse, who those days joined the 'German Opera' in Rotterdam. She finished her study with Julius von Stockhausen in Frankfurt am Main. On the age of 20-year she performed in Zurich lieder by Brams, accompanied by the composer himself. Maartje Offers sang on the age of 12-year on Christmas Eve the soli in the 'Zuiderkerk' in The Hague. The following years it seemed to be logical that she, like many other Dutch singers, turned to the genre of oratorio. Things turned out differently. Jo van de Meent received in the beginning of her career many support from the Rotterdam conductor Eduard Flipse. She appeared regularly in the 'Concertgebouw in Amsterdam' and in the 'Scheveningse 'Kurhaus'. She also appeared many times in operas, about 150 productions, such as 'Les contes d'Hoffmann' (Offenbach), 'Tiefland' (d'Albert), 'Cavalleria Rusticana' (Mascagni), etc. "... her opponentAnny Delorieperformed Amneris on no less impressive way. These young singer possesses an unbelievable voice volume, from the warm contralto range to a with playful easiness sung high C ... may the Nederlandse Opera keep this highly gifted singer safe for our country ... "Aafje Heynis career developed from the fifties very fast. She quickly obtained a reputation, in the beginning of oratorio singing, but after her performance of the Alto-rhapsody of Brahms with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Eduard van Beinum she got attention in a wide circle. Church concerts, lied recitals, co-operation in numerous performances of Bach's St Matthew Passion, Negro spirituals, opera, her interest was great, just as the demand to this unaffected singer.